Sodium fire reported at Idaho National Lab

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — An employee believed to have been burned in a fire caused by a sodium reaction at the Idaho National Laboratory has been released from a hospital, with physicians reporting they found no evidence the cleanup worker was injured.

The U.S. Department of Energy says 10 others were evaluated on scene Friday and released by medical staff. Officials couldn’t immediately comment on the size of the fire, but suggested it may have been caused by a sodium reaction.

Laboratory fire crews responded to the Materials and Fuel Complex, where officials say there’s no more evidence of a continued reaction or fire. Firefighters and operations personnel have re-entered the building.

The incident comes several days after 16 cleanup workers were exposed to radiation when a box containing plutonium powder was opened.